Advantages of Organic Foods

The issues of pesticides and chemicals in our environment can often be downright depressing. But hope can be found out of study done on 23 school children. In this study baseline tests were done to test for certain pesticides in the children’s urine. These pesticides were found in each child. The children were then put on an organic regimen for just a few days and the pesticides cleared from their urine [Source: Lu]. In just a few days of an organic diet the body was able to clean house and get rid of the pesticides that were being tested. The pesticides would return to the urine when off the organic diet in just a few days, but at least when given the chance the body was able to remove them from the system. Yes, the organic food is at times more expensive. As consumers we must continue to demand more awareness of organic food so that increased competition and supply can help bring the prices down. Furthermore, it is recommended to review the “Dirty Dozen” list prepared regularly by the Environmental Working Group (ewg.org) of the foods highest and lowest in pesticides. Strong consideration should be given to purchasing organic versions of the foods highest in pesticides. The list of foods highest in pesticides include: peaches, apples, bell peppers, celery, nectarines, strawberries, cherries, kale, lettuce, imported grapes, carrots and pears. Foods containing the lowest amount of pesticides include: onions, avocadoes, sweet corn, pineapple, mango, asparagus, sweet peas, kiwi, cabbage, eggplant, papaya, watermelon, broccoli, tomato and sweet potato. Consumer demand will be perhaps the greatest influence on how pesticide use and organic food options trend in the near future.

There are many other steps we can take to reduce pesticide exposure and damage to the body. Vegetables are a great resource to protect our detoxifying organs, particularly the liver. Broccoli is an excellent example of a food low in pesticides that promotes healthy detoxification pathways in the liver. By eating at least 3 servings of vegetables a day, we can enable our body’s protection against many toxins. Another solution is to start your own garden and grow organic varieties of the food you choose. If the space is not an option, consider sharing a garden with a friend or group of friends who can share available space and participate in the effort. A great story of the power of nutrition was illustrated by the famous nutritionist and scientist, Dr. Bernard Jensen [Source: Jensen]. He related an experiment in which to plants from different pots were allowed to grow up the same supporting rod. One plant lacked many vital nutrients in its pot and became diseased and ridden with insects. The second plant, growing up the very same support structure intertwined with the other plant, had all of the vital nutrients in its soil and grew without any issue of disease or bugs. By supplying all that the plant needed in the soil, no pesticides or chemicals were needed. Humans can respond in basically the same way.

Pesticide use on foods and organic availability will be changed once consumer demand is loud enough. However we must also act within our own homes to truly impact our environments. Several websites offer education on various pesticides and suggest other options. The following websites are a handful of resources available on pesticides:

Simple measures can be done to help lower pesticide/herbicide burden around the home. For example, vinegar can be sprayed onto weeds or stray grasses to help eliminate them safely. This is best done on very sunny days.

Though the original intention of pesticide use was good, these chemicals have become too much apart of our environment. Many of the several thousand chemicals we use in industry and the environment end up in us. There is great concern that such chemical exposure is leading to damage in the brain and increased cancer risk. To avoid these problems we must carefully consider the benefits of organic food, increase consumer demand of such foods and be more aware of chemical use in our own homes and schools.